Numerical Methods

Introduction
Numerical Analysis – A branch of mathematics which deals with the approximation solution of
the mathematical problem.

Numerical Methods – Method of Obtaining solution by subjecting the original problem to a

series of steps or repetetions.

Error- An error is the difference between the actual value of a quantity and the computed value.
E = X – X’; where X = true value and X’ = Approximate value
Introduction
Common Ways to express an Error

◦ Absolute Error
◦ Relative Absolute Error
◦ Percentage Error
Absolute Error

AE = |X – X’ |
Relative Absolute Error

X-X’ AE
RE = = True Value
X
Percentage Error

PE = RE x 100%
PE = (AE/True value) x 100%
The Significant Digit

The significant digits or significant figures or a number are those digits that take a meaning that
contributes to the accuracy.
Rules for Identifying Significant Figures
(1) All non-zero digits are considered significant
(2) Zeros appearing anywhere between two non-zero digits are
significant
(3) Leading zeros are not significant
(4) Trailing zeros in a number containing a decimal point are
significant
(5)The number 0 has one significant digit
Rules for Identifying Significant Figures
(6) The significance of trailing zeros in a number not containing a
decimal point can be indefinite. Thus, the following conditions are
given:
◦ (6.1) A Bar may be placed over the last significant figure; any trailing zeros
following are not significant.
◦ (6.2) The last significant digit of a number may be underlined
◦ (6.3) A decimal point may be placed after the number
Exercise (Significant Figures)
(a) 2.745
(b) 20.003
(c) 0.0021
(d) 0.002100
(e) 20000
(f) 0.2010000 (3rd to the last zero has a bar)
(g) 1.05 x 10^5
(h) 2.0300 x 10^7
Example
Without solving the exact answer, how many significant digits can you trust when calculating the
𝑒 0.5 if the six terms of the Maclaurin Series are used.
The Round-Off and Truncation Error
An error in solving an engineering or science problem can rise due to several factors. First, the
error may be in the modeling technique. A mathematical model may be based on using
assumptions that are not acceptable. Second, an error may arise from mistakes in programs
themselves or in the measurement of the physical quantities. But in applications of numerical
methods itself, the two errors we need to focus on are

◦ (1) Round-off Error

◦ (2) Truncation Error
Round-off error
Round-off error occurs because digital computers cannot represent
some quantities exactly. Its value can be calculated by deviating the
round digits and the exact value.

There are two major components of round off error involved in

numerical calculations:
◦ (1) The digital computers have size and precision limits in their ability to
represent the numbers
◦ (2) Certain numerical manipulations are highly sensitive to round off errors
Example (Round Off Error)
Find the round-off error of the following if each number represents using 5 significant figures.
(a) e
(b)2.003458764
2
(c)
3
Truncation Error
Truncation error is caused by truncating a mathematical procedure; that is,
replacing an infinite process by a finite one. Its value can also be calculated by
getting the deviation between the exact value and its approximate value.
Example (Truncation Error)
(a) The maclaurin series 𝑒 𝑥 given that it is truncated into 3 terms.